The Fantastic Maxwell
by thejasonresno
Summary: Duo Maxwell plays magician for a skeptical audience. Stars Heero, Quatre, Duo, and Trowa. A one shot written for the gw500 LJ challenge "Switch". Enjoy : Short and easy to read. Friendship fic.


**Title:** The Fantastic Maxwell

**Word Count:** 745

**Challenge:** 267 - Switch

**Rating:** G (Humor/Friendship)

**Pairing/Characters: **No pairings. But the story stars Quatre, Trowa, Duo, and Heero. Duo plays Magician for a skeptical audience. Written for prompt 267 "switch" for the gw500 LJ community. A one shot.

_9:45 PM - Home_

Duo bowed gracefully, his braid falling and lightly touching the shag carpet, before pulling himself straight and flashing a broad white grin. He was magnificent, to be sure, and was decked head to toe in only the finest magician-wear. A tight and prim black suit. A red bow tie. A tall black hat. White skintight gloves. Oh he was a scene. But he wasn't fooling anyone.

"Do it again Duo! I think I've got it figured out!" Quatre Winner, rich beyond anyones imagination, lounged on a ratty black couch with a cup of coffee in one hand and the other busy twiddling a pencil. The sandy haired teen had been taking notes and was almost confident he had the trick figured out.

"Nahh, Q. I'm a magician not a DVD. I don't work on command."

Heero, reclining and flicking through a motorcycle magazine, scoffed. "You call that work?"

The braided American feigned astonishment and then grinned even wider, "You're just jealous Yuy. You're mad you can't figure out the Fantastic Maxwell. Isn't that right?"

Normally not one to be baited the, otherwise, perfect soldier raised an eyebrow and let his Prussian eyes fall onto the 'magician' standing in front of the TV. The TV he'd rather be watching. But a challenge was a challenge and he certainly wasn't ready to concede to _this_ man.

"Do it again."

The Americans grin widened to an almost jarring proportion. Bowing lightly the braided pilot reached into a hidden pocket in his cloak and withdrew his wand. Sobering up, almost completely--save for a fraction of a smile--, the Fantastic Maxwell gestured at the coffee table between himself and his friends. On that glass table, loaded with rings from drinks as well as various magazines, were three red cups.

"So as you non magical human beings can see...I have set three red cups, opening down, on the table."

A beat of silence passed as Quatre watched with his eyes slightly squinted and Heero had an almost lazy look upon his face.

"And," he continued, "underneath one of these cups is a red ball. At this junction I will show you which one."

A tightly gloved hand reached down and lifted each cup, one at a time, until it was shown that the middle cup was the only one with a ball underneath.

"Understood?"

Quatre nodded with a polite grin and Heero "hnnd".

"Now, my fine gentlemen watch _very_ closely." And with that Duo nodded towards the back of the room, where one Trowa Barton stood by the light switch, and the lights dimmed ever so slightly. With a light laugh Duo began to move the cups back and forth in no particular order in an attempt to effectively "shuffle" them. The room was eerily silent except for the light roll of the ball under the cups and then with a flash the lights burst back on and Duo straightened himself up.

"Thank you Assistant Barton."

"Don't push it, Duo."

The Fantastic Maxwell coughed slightly to cover up the moment and went on slightly flatter, "I hope that you young men were paying attention because now I will ask you to identify which cup is currently housing the original red ball."

Quatre brightened like a lightbulb, "I _think _I tracked it this time. It has to be the cup on the far left."

The "magicians" lips curled slightly in a grin as he addressed the man in the recliner, "Do you agree good sir?"

Heero glanced at Quatre and then, sitting up straight as if to compose himself, nodded in agreement. "It seems logical. That's how I followed it."

Duo nodded and then let his eyes flicker back to Trowa in the back of the room. The lights dimmed again, ever so slightly, as Duo leaned forward.

"And now for the reveal!"

With a gusto that did not match the setting Duo did a half spin, cloak flying, before leaning down and absolutely tearing the plastic cup off of the table. And there was a ball. And Quatre was moments away from issuing a 'squee' when the lights came back on and on the table was a dark and black wooden ball.

A moment of silence passed before Heero raised both eyebrows and, in genuine surprise, muttered: "That wasn't a bad trick."

Duo bowed ever so deeply, while collecting his cups, and whispered under his breath: "That was no trick, my friends, that was...The Fantastic Maxwell."

Finish.

A/N: This was the first challenge I've EVER responded to in my whole life as a fanfic writer. I hope I didn't do too poorly and I do hope you enjoyed the fic. I would love feedback of ANY kind and I truly look forward to interacting with the greatest fans of one of the greatest anime. Cheers everybody.


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